After a halftime appearance during the 2021 NBA All-Star Weekend, the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest was back as the headliner event of the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night festivities.
The contest has been the night-capping event on Saturday for years, probably every year since it was introduced in 1984.
However, in recent years, barring a few outstanding duels, the contest has seen a dip in entertainment value. It's an opinion shared not just by fans but also by fellow NBA players - past and present.
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The 2022 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland joined that unenviable list.
Although Knicks' Obi Toppin came out on top with high scores, accumulating 182 out of a possible 200 points across all his dunks, it would be fair to say that the competition against him was disappointing, to say the least.
With Jalen Green and Cole Anthony needing multiple attempts, including several unofficial tries, for their dunks in the first round to Juan Toscano-Anderson only managing a 30 for his second dunk in the final round, the event eventually ended up far below expectatins.
During the competition and even after Toppin's victory, multiple NBA players - former and current - took to Twitter to share their reaction of the sub-par event.
😂‼️ they made hard dunks regular. you get 7s for em now https://t.co/THPYbuk0EK
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 20, 2022
😂🤷🏽♂️
— Zach LaVine (@ZachLaVine) February 20, 2022
Im never dunking again y’all sorry strictly layups now #mytimbsnotyours
— Cole Anthony (@The_ColeAnthony) February 20, 2022
Me after a basic one hand https://t.co/opMBMsMWaI pic.twitter.com/5zYuMFh3B2
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 20, 2022
I could’ve won the dunk contest tonight 😂
— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) February 20, 2022
I’m entering the dunk contest next year.
— Vernon Maxwell (@VernonMaxwell11) February 20, 2022
I feel for everyone involved
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) February 20, 2022
Say lil homie @JaMorant we need to see you next in the dunk contest!!! Just saying… give the people what the want! Carry on…
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) February 20, 2022
For real tho 🤦♂️ https://t.co/yoWjwXAuL3
— Austin Rivers (@AustinRivers25) February 20, 2022
I coulda won this year 🌚🤣 #issajoke
— De'Andre Hunter (@DreHunter) February 20, 2022
I’m just playin😂😂😂 https://t.co/yYJmpISGRl
— Anfernee Simons (@AnferneeSimons) February 20, 2022
Even the TNT crew calling the contest, comprising of Kenny Smith, Reggie Miller and Dwyane Wade along with Brian Anderson, discussed whether the 3-Point contest should be swapped with the Dunk Contest as the headlining event on Saturday.
D-WADE 💀 pic.twitter.com/9Dx7BDn2yU
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 20, 2022
